NO! reji-bukuro braTriumph International, a 110 year old German lingerie manufacturer, has a flair for innovation.. they are also environmentally conscious.
Their Japanese counterpart Triumph International Japan unveiled a new type of brassiere that can be converted into a shopping bag in 2006. Called the “No! Shopping Bag Bra” (NO! reji-bukuro bra), the environmentally-friendly lingerie is designed to promote the reduction of plastic bag consumption, a key objective of the revised Containers and Packaging Recycling Law hammered out by Japanese lawmakers in June last year.
Each year, Japanese shoppers receive an estimated 30 billion plastic shopping bags, which, in terms of the oil resources needed to produce them, amounts to two giant tankers full of oil (est. millions of barrels). There is an urgency to reduce plastic bag usage, as around 30% of these bags are thrown away without being reused. The consumption of plastic shopping bags contributes to environmental problems such as increased energy usage, trash buildup, and global warming due to CO2 released in the garbage incineration process, so the focus isn't misplaced.
When the bra is being worn, the “shopping bag” portions are folded away inside the bra cups, where they serve as extra padding. The bra quickly converts to a shopping bag by removing the bag portions from the cups and connecting the hooks on the bra’s underwire. The lace cups serve as decoration along with the shoulder straps, which are disconnected and tied to the top of the bag as ribbons.
The bra, available in red, blue, green, yellow and pink is made from the Teijin Group’s ECOPET brand of polyester fiber, which has been recycled from plastic bottles through the company’s patented EcoCircle recycling system.
Contrary to some thoughts I've heard on blogs about this bra, I don't think the idea is to rip off your bra once you reach the grocery store (though it's your choice if you'd prefer shocking the prudes out there!!), but to alternate their usage as a bra and a bag.... or if you'd prefer, to use the garment as a bra till you are ready for a change of color or style, and then use it as a bag.. voila!!! I would definitely bring one home...... my days of collecting the souvenir cloth handbags from the trade shows (food) would be a thing of the past.
On the other end of the globe, anyone who has a Victoria's Secret (VS) undergarment in their drawer knows what I mean when I say their bras make you feel like a million dollars (not to mention ohh so sexy!) and those damn little things last for ages... While Limited Brands, VS's parent company is doing its bit towards sustainability through recycling (paper & plastic), reducing energy usage, waste management and proposing to save forests, I would love to see them work more with fabric recycling & finding recyclable materials for their clothing...
I'd also love to see this happen:
-VS setting up collection banks for used undergarments and maybe offer a discount at their stores to women who donate their unused or used undergarments in good shape --- Second hand underwear is in huge demand in African countries where people cannot afford to buy a bra or underwear in many cases. There is some controversy regarding the import of used undergarments with bans imposed by governments in Kenya and Tanzania, saying that the used garments were causing skin diseases. Maybe a corporate (like Limited), would be looked upon to maintain standards even in used clothing sales, proving to be a reliable supplier & in turn help clothe the poor....
Along with community service, VS could see increased sales in their stores due to the promotion...
Now if something similar can be done with the dredded grandma panties :-)
Source: Triumph International Japan,
2 comments:
I remember reading about the eco bra before. Kind of dismissed it as a greenwashing gimmick, coz I never really understood the viability of the idea.
Now I think different. I agree with the idea of using it as a bra initially and later switch to bag.
btw...I am so glad to hear about Limited's press release. Many thanks for the link. I had blogged about Victoria's Dirty Secret campaign by Forest Ethics some time back. victoriasdirtysecret.net
The slogan previously was "Victoria has a dirty secret". Check out the latest one
Change is indeed possible!
Many who knew of the concept (all guys I know) could only think of stripping in the grocery store :-). I understand where their priorities lie, but really, no one need know that your bag is/was actually a bra unless you want them too.
As for VS, thanks for the link!...
Who'd have thought...feeling sexy could equate feeling green !!!
Corporates can be tough nuts to crack.. working with them for a change is always a long term project- the older generation who head the companies can sometimes be a hinderance to innovation or alternative ways of running their empires.
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